A quote from “Hamlet” hung in my seventh-grade social studies classroom — “Neither a borrower nor a lender be” — intended, I suppose, to remind us to bring our own pens, paper and books to class. The phrase has been analyzed to death by historians and economists, who suggest that lending among friends can be damaging to the fabric of society.

I get it. But the concept just doesn’t port well into the garden, where lending knowledge and sharing extras with friends — and friendly strangers — builds a powerful sense of community.

My garden is dotted with plants donated from other places. Deep-purple iris from my friend Polly’s far-away family fringe the border and have been shared around the neighborhood. Shrub roses too thick in my cousin Anne’s yard last year are on the verge of color and spicy scent near my window wells.

This weekend, I came away from a quick visit to an ever-changing garden with a pot of golden raspberries and two tiny penstemon starts. These were lovely gifts, but the knowledge that came with them — how keep the raspberries in check and encourage the penstemon to root, and how not to be scared to move the plants if they seem unhappy — is a treasure made priceless because it was shared in friendship as it was created.

The business business editor of The Denver Post and a Colorado native, Dana Coffield has worked at news organizations of all sizes, including the Rocky Mountain News, the Associated Press bureaus in Denver and Cheyenne, weekly general interest and business publications in Boulder and Larimer counties and at the Daily Times-Call in Longmont. She has also worked as a business editor at technology and natural products trade magazines.